Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-07
PAVING AND SEWERAGE.
These Problems Now Confront Wich.
tia in Earnest.
A Few Thoughts and Observations That Ought
TO Interest Every Properly Owner
In wichita.

For years the EAGLE squarely opposed any
nd all propositions Tor either seweriDg or
paving this city. 1t cited the statistical fact
that surface drained cities as rule were as
healthy as any and as free from epiuemics as
the best severed cities-and which is true,
and as fer the matter of paving beld on to
the declaration that 10 paved streets in tine
world wer6 finer than our natural streets for
at least ten months In the year. In the ear
lier years, during Hopes administration,
when the matter of sewering came very near
being forced upon our people, we begged that
our authorities wait until our tax roll should
have reached at least five millions, citing the
fact that Wichita's pro sporty as il no small
degree atti itutahle TO the fact that while all
the cities OF The state we're deeply in debt
Wichita was without debt. So also when
the ma cad lam zing scheme was sprung. When
our tax roll had reached five millions as a
city, then the EAGLE wanted TO wait until it
had reached at least ten millions, and so on.
And now we do not favor the proposition
OF sewerage and paving SO much on the
grou nds OF any really existing necessity SO
much as n altar OF enterprise which we can
well afford not only, but as an investment in
the way Of Iermspency and solidity which,
in turn, tegets confidence in foreign capital
and invites other and greater investments
The main or thickly inhabited portion Of the
city can be severed and ten or twelve blocks
on Douglas avenue, end four blocks on Mar
ket and four or five blocks, the long way, on
Main can be paved without at all or partic-
larry burthemng any property holder or tax
payer. And right i'll this connection we de-
sire to say that e, cry business resident of
other cities with whom We ever talked,
agree that Douglas avenue is too wide by
from twelve to eighteen feet. Before any
paving is done the sidewalks on
this street should be widened at
least six feet on each side
As for the system Of sewering no man who
has given the subject any study or investiga-
non will pretend to deny that for Wichita
the Warning or some pipe flushing system Is
the best and not only the test but the cheap
est.
In the matter of paving we hope our city
authorities, if they have not already done so,
VIII 60 To reading up. There are many late
works aud late reporrs of commissions and
councils on this question of paving. For
our own part, knowing the matter would
,oon reach our people and knowing that it
vas the duty of the leading paper to be
ready TO protect taxpayers against swindlts s,
we have BEEN going somewhat over the world
of paving mater ial and experiments. The
different kinds Of wood pavementS, the fire
',rick, the cement bio k, the concrete block,
the Belgium block, the asphalts and the
Trinidad or Barber asphalt, and we can ar
rive at but one conclusion. The Belgium
clock, or small block of cut stone or gray
granite, while very costly, is undoubtedly
the pavement for areas and spaces about de
pote, whole>al. houses, warehouses and So
forth, where the traffic is very heavy, but
tor ordinary business streets is too noisy, too
expensive aud too destructive to ordi-
wagons, buggies and carriages. The
imitation or concrete block is not |
,nly open TO she same objection, but |
slowly bu5 surely commencing |
1t the corners and in the edges until leaves |
/ roadway almost as noisy aud rough as |
,obblestone Al, characters of wooden pave
nent are brief-lived, and therefore, expen-
ave. Without questions the Trinidad as
rhalt, or toe Baxter asphalt pavement Is the
pavement for Douglas avenue, Market and
Main streets As phalt is the recognized ma
erlsl for paving in London, Paris and all
he great cities Of Europe. Asphalt is III Use
Il New York, Philadelphia, st. Louis and
Il a. hington. la all these cities they are still
aging il Nearer home, we have Omaha
Ind st. Joseph ordering nils more asphalt
u Topeka, the Barber Asphalt company has
made arrangeme nts to put down some three
ireets. We talked with an Omaha msu tn
ther day and he said they would not trade
heir new asphalt for any pavement no mat
err what 1t cost.
But more of these subjects when our city
and people get ready to act. 10
be meantime we hope the business men
long the avenues named would read up this
uesUion and the reports made by the differ
at cities to the end that no snide or swindle
lay, through ienoI ance CT design, be sad
led upon us. either as TO sewerage or paw
u.
A ST. LOUIS MAN LOSES HIS PURSE.
I ~ 4